Professional agency with a personal touch

You might be wondering to yourself why in the world someone with zero trekking experience would willingly choose to spend 10 days in freezing temperatures, climbing a colossal mountain in Africa.

This year I had back-to-back surgeries to remove some unwanted and potentially dangerous growths. It turned out to be nothing more than a scare. I’m fine, blessed with a clean bill of health. But the experience woke something that had fallen dormant deep inside of me. It was a wake-up call to live fully and to live now. It was then that I heard about the Kilimanjaro climb and the rooftop of Africa called out to me, I felt certain that this challenge and the goal of supporting the efforts of Shalva was the next right thing for me.

Soon after I committed to doing the climb, I went to visit Shalva and had the opportunity to meet with some of the children they work with. I felt an instant solidarity and kinship. When I climb Kilimanjaro and things get tough, as they are bound to, I will be thinking of the children of Shalva bravely soldiering the mountains that have been strewn upon their paths. These children truly are warriors, battling obstacles and hurdles every moment of their lives. As I spent time with them, I realized that they are not all that different from any of us. Everyone bears the scars of the various challenges he or she has had to contend with along the way. We might not get to choose our challenges, they are the cards we are dealt, but how we play the hand, that is where a person’s character is built, that is where hope and belief and fortitude make all the difference, where with bravery and grace we can strap those challenges on our shoulders and get on with our lives. The Shalva staff, along with hundreds of volunteers, are an army of positivity and light, reaching out to the children and their families and imparting the message that although things are difficult there is still hope, there is always hope. Shalva’s services are free of charge and provide life-changing support to help these children not just cope with their disabilities but learn how to grow and thrive.

I am not fully recovered from my surgeries, not in the best physical shape, but I have six months to get stronger and a stubborn redhead streak that seems to be wildly pumped for this challenge. I am thrilled at the idea of Kilimanjaro, but I am also terrified. Since deciding to do this, I have had days where I have wanted to call the whole thing off, the climb and everything, the whole living larger thing – and just go back to my quiet safe little corner where no chances were taken. But I can’t. I just can’t. A light has gone on inside of me and I am simply unable to ignore it.

It is my sincere hope that the funds raised to sponsor my climb will make a real difference in the lives of the children of Shalva.

When I think of rentals, many ideas are conjured including cost, size, location etc.
Rental costs vary in cities. Tel Aviv and Jerusalem for example have high rental fees comparatively to Beit Shemesh,Kiryat Gat, or Beer Sheva. In these areas one can find decent rentals .
When looking at rentals, one must pay attention to many pointers .One does not want to rent a home that has damp issues, or requires work that has not been done.
Even better, beware of homeowners who promise to deal with issues that have not been dealt with . If you came to look at the apartment and serious issues have not been
dealt with BEFORE viewing , you will want to inspect it AGAIN before signing a contract.
Renters should take all costs into consideration to verify that the apartment they
are interested in, they can afford and not THINK they can afford it.
For example, this 6 square meter kiosk rents for 12,500 shekels a month.
Can you afford the rent? The municipal tax? Any related maintenance fees?
This does not include water, electricity, gas etc.
Got any questions, feel free to contact me. 🙂

Nowadays if you have a question, looking for information, or just curious the best thing to turn to is …the internet. For example, my dog eats rather quickly and I want him to enjoy his food. This caused me to wonder if there are toys “out there” that can slow down his eating whilst making me feel good thinking this will force him to “enjoy his food”. So what did I do? “flick” turned on the computer and asked google what items are available to purchase. It’s interesting how originally my intention was to spend 20 minutes researching, turned into at least double that time. Since internet is readily available, companies want to offer all the information a consumer is looking for and beyond what they are looking for, we end up spending more time than expected and may end up spending more than initially expected. This does not include all the side advertisements that “bling” on the side, attracting your attention to click on their “awesome deal”. Maybe BEFORE entering the internet world, one should arm themselves with well thought out intentions so as not to get sucked into the internet shopping world and your credit card maxed out. 🙂

Own a small business or want to open a small business? The European Investment Fund and Bank Leumi signed an agreement allowing higher lending to innovative small and medium size businesses .Bank Leumi could provide finance of $100 million to technology companies in Israel . If hi -tech is no longer a leader in the Israeli economic growth maybe this could give it a boost.

There is an advantage that second hand homes have that new construction doesn’t have. That is, land.
While you may have large homes , one gets smaller gardens. Second hand homes were built at a time when builders were giving more land.
If you are a buyer who loves garden and it is important to you then you should consider second hand.

I love driving the Hadassah Ein Kerem route coming from Jerusalem towards Beit Shemesh. It is a breathe taking ride, gorgeous all year round, and you make breathe in fresh air. Here are photos of the rainy awesome day.

According to Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, rent control is an awful idea considering in Europe its effect on housing causes a rise in pricing. Private homes being used as business offices may not have effected price rising in Beit Shemesh but other parts of Israel, it has.

One serious cause for shortage in residential apartment buildings is the usage of these properties as offices according to Shlomo Ben –Eliyahu Construction Ministry director-general.He said the next government will impose penalties on both tenants and local authorities that don’t crack down.

Tal Alderoti, Justice Ministry’s chief government assessor does not recommend regulators intervene in this branch.

Rental in Beit Shemesh

183-sq.m., 6 room home, in Givat Sharett was rented out for 6,000 NIS

Sale in Beit Shemesh

183 sq.m., 6 rooms, Hachavatzelet street, 2,050,000 NIS

67 sq.m., 3 rooms, Bar Ilan street, 2nd floor, 990,000 NIS

Rental in Jerusalem

142-sq.m., six room house with a storage room on Mishul Haozrad St. in Ramot was leased for NIS 6,500 per month

Sale in Jerusalem

A 68-sq.m. Three-room, third floor apartment with an elevator and no parking on Bialik St. in Beit Hakerem was sold for NIS 1.6 million. A 111-sq.m.

An 84-sq.m., 3.5-room, ground floor apartment with no elevator and no parking on Revadim St. in Arnona was sold for NIS 2.47 million.

Real Estate in Israel is constantly changing , growing, and giving families many options.Hopefully as part of these positive changes our greenery, forests, are also taken into consideration.

The National Planning and Building Committee for Priority Residential Sites will approve the expansion of Kiryat Gat.The plan will add 9,500 housing units with 25% of it consisting of 80-sq.m. apartments.

It will also include 40,000 sq.m. in business space in the residential neighborhood, 16,000 sq.m. of commercial frontage, public buildings and institutions, plus open space .

In Jerusalem, the Kiryat Yovel neighborhood, 59 housing units will be demolished making way for new buildings that will have a total of 255 new housing units.Part of the plan is to make room for the Jerusalem Light Rail train. The intention is to maintain the characteristic of the neighborhood while bringing in new improvements.

Mk Karin Elharrar who is physically disabled due to Muscular dystrophy proposed a bill helping disabled people receive a mortgage from banks .
This bill that passed on Sunday does not allow the banks to deny disabled people a mortgage on the basis of lacking life insurance.
The Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved the requirement of the government to prefer using
companies that employ disabled people. There are 900,000 disabled adults and over half of them are unemployed.
As Robert M. Hensel said ” There is no greater disability in society, than the inability to see a person as more .”

Use heavy curtains to stop heat escaping from your windows

Heat escaping from your home in the winter is from uncovered windows. Heavy, lined curtains which extend below the window frame will insulate your windows and help keep the warmth in. You can even make your own. All you need is a sewing machine or borrow one.

Seal up cracks and gaps around doors and windows, cracks in the walls . One can use a simple door snake for the bottom of the door.

A great way to keep the heat where you want it is to keep the doors to your living space closed. And if your heating system will let you, turn it off in empty rooms.

Warm yourself rather than your whole house. A warm pair of ugg boots and a snug sweater (or a snuggly thermal) could save you hundreds in heating and energy bills!

It’s intuitive, but fluffy blankets should be closer to your skin. Thin, dense blankets should be on top to prevent convective heat loss. Bonus tip: Don’t put your bed directly against an exterior wall. You’ll be warmer if you leave a little space.

If you’re already interested in composting, here’s another reason to do it: The microbial breakdown of organic material produces heat. Some people use it to warm up showers and greenhouses, but even small-timers in studio apartments can feel a difference.

This article is meant to give ideas to children who have elderly parents or parents that can’t care for themselves. I am not sure if the ideas in this article is ideal. Owning a home is a goal we all try to achieve, at least in Israel. To consider a reverse mortgage one must weigh its merits heavily.The new trend in purchasing a home or apartment is having a smaller unit attached to the property so it can either be rented out or used to care for elderly parents.

How to care for two parents at once without going broke

YOUR MONEY

By Chris Taylor

New York (Reuters)- For years, Madeleine Smithberg has been at the forefront of American comedy as cocreator of The Daily Show and a talent coordinator for Late Show with David Letterman.

That sense of humor was especially handy during the last few years. That is because Smithberg had to cope with not one but two elderly parents in rapid decline.”It’s heartbreaking”, says Smithberg, 56 who has a production company in Los Angeles. “And yet it’s invisible, because nobody talks about it”.

Dealing with one aging parent is challenging enough, whether you are helping navigate the complex health-care system, paying for an assisted-living facility or struggling with cognitive decline as the parent slips away. But the emotional and financial stress can be more than double if you are caring for both parents at he same time.